23 Ways we worked for cats in 2023

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23 Ways we worked for cats in 2023
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• The New Year is almost here, and Alley Cat Allies
  is working throughout the holiday season to
  protect cats and start 2024 on the strongest foot
  to save more lives. But even as we prepare for
  all the work ahead to build a world where all
  cats are valued and protected, were also
  reflecting on the incredible change we
  accomplished together this year.
• Here are just 23 of the ways (there are many,
  many more!) we worked on behalf of cats in 2023
• We are fighting to protect Puerto Rico community
  cats

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• In November 2023, the U.S. National Park Service
  announced a plan to remove community cats living
  along the famous Paseo del Morro in Old San Juan
  within a period of 6 months. It is a cruel and
  pointless scheme Alley Cat Allies is doing
  everything in our power to halt.
• We are reaching out to the government of Puerto
  Rico and working with local advocates as part of
  our ongoing efforts to stop the removal and help
  more cats and kittens across Old San Juan. Were
  looking forward to more lifesaving progress in
  2024.
• Were confronting calls to kill cats in Granite
  Shoals, Texas
• Alley Cat Allies condemns the horrific discussion
  between the Granite Shoals City Manager and
  Wildlife Advisory Committee about a plan to mass
  kill community cats. We call for a strong,
  city-supported TNR program and would pledge our
  own support for that program.
• Were standing with the Granite Shoals Police
  Department, the Hill Country Humane Society, and
  the people of Granite Shoals against cruel,
  lethal policies. The next city council meeting
  about Granite Shoals cats is January 9, and
  Alley Cat Allies will be there.

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• We provided TNR and other care to thousands of
  cats in Atlantic County
• Alley Cat Allies had a goal to spay or neuter
  1,000 cats between May and November of 2023 as
  part of our ongoing work with the Humane Society
  of Atlantic County, New Jersey. Amazing news We
  did itand much more!
• The 1,000 cats and kittens helped this summer and
  fall are on top of 1,000 cats weve already
  helped through our latest initiative in Atlantic
  Countyand thats just our most recent work in
  the area.

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• Were working to save cats from lethal policies
  in the Cayman Islands
• As the government of the Cayman Islands pursues a
  devastating policy to round up and kill cats,
  Alley Cat Allies is making all efforts to prevent
  the cruel, lethal scheme and working with local
  advocates on humane, effective programs for cats
  and kittens. In 2023, we provided spay and neuter
  surgeries, vaccination, and microchipping as well
  as no-cost cat food to indoor and community cat
  caregivers. Were going to expand our lifesaving
  work even further in 2024.

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• We helped 1,800 cats and kittens in Iowa
• Alley Cat Allies Cats Are Family Too
  collaboration with the Animal Rescue League of
  Iowa this fall provided incredible, no-cost
  resources to cats throughout the Des Moines area!
• In just three cat food distribution events in
  October and November, we handed out cans of cat
  food to more than 540 households to help more
  than 1,800 cats and kittens. And through a
  no-cost vaccine and wellness clinic, we provided
  dozens of cats and kittens with care that may
  have otherwise been inaccessible to their
  families.

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• We saved cats with specialized surgery
• The only struggle a kitten should face is
  choosing between playing with a fun new toy or
  curling up in a sunbeam. But cats Emporio and
  Tank were wracked with seizures that impaired
  their sight and adventurous spirits at a very
  young age.

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• They have a condition known as a portosystemic
  shunt, which is an anomaly in their blood vessels
  that causes blood to be diverted around the liver
  rather than through it for detoxification. They
  needed specialized surgery to have the best
  chance at survivaland Alley Cat Allies ensured
  they received it through a grant to Lollypop
  Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester.
  Theyve both since been adopted and are thriving
  post-surgery!
• We supported no-cost animal food banks
• From kicking off a community cat-focused food
  bank in Atlantic County, New Jersey, to
  supporting no-cost food resources in Iowa, the
  Cayman Islands, Virginia, and multiple other
  communities, we are Keeping Families TogetherTM.
  With the post-COVID era has come a great deal of
  financial insecurity, and food support is more
  critical than ever. We plan to expand our food
  bank support in 2024!

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• We protected cats impacted by the historic maui
  wildfires
• When historic wildfires swept through Maui,
  Hawaii, in August, Alley Cat Allies was on the
  ground immediately to provide critical emergency
  support for cats. We brought food to cats
  outdoors in the devastated Lahaina area, as well
  as medications, vaccinations, kitten milk
  replacer, and other needed supplies for affected
  indoor and community cats. We also covered the
  costs of much-needed procedures from flea
  treatment to emergency dental care.

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• We supported a lifesaving veterinary bill in
  Florida
• With access to veterinary care more limited than
  ever, any step that clears the way for
  experienced veterinarians to provide volunteer
  services makes a massive difference. Thats why
  Alley Cat Allies supported a Florida bill to
  allow veterinarians from out of state to legally
  provide spay and neuter and other care. It passed
  in summer of 2023, and we couldnt be more
  thrilled for all the cats and kittens it will
  help!
• We advocated for a Texas law in defense of TNR
• A 2023 law passed in Texas recognizes
  Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as a defense against cat
  abandonment claims, giving reassurance to
  caregivers and shelters who perform TNR that they
  are doing the right thing to help cats. Alley Cat
  Allies advocated in support of this law, and
  were pursuing stronger TNR protections in the
  Lone Star State.
• We received the highest recognitions for
  transparency
• Alley Cat Allies earned the 2023 Platinum Seal
  with Candid as well as the coveted Charity
  Navigator 4-star rating for the 10th consecutive
  yearthe organizations highest levels of
  recognition!

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• These achievements are a result of Alley Cat
  Allies commitment to transparency in everything
  we do with our supporters donations. Our
  supporters can be confident that every gift has a
  direct, lifesaving impact on cats and kittens,
  which strengthens our shared mission!
• We called for justice for Nala the cat
• Alley Cat Allies was present at the trial of
  Ronald Schlotterbeck, who shot and killed Nala as
  she rested on a tree branch in his yard, causing
  her to suffer an agonizing death. We sent a
  letter of support to the prosecutor in the case
  asking for the strongest possible penalty under
  the law for this act of deliberate, needless
  cruelty.
• In the end, the punishment served was light, but
  Alley Cat Allies continues to fight for justice
  for cat victims of cruelty and for stronger
  penalties against cruelty perpetrators.
• We provided legal counsel to protect community
  cat caregivers
• When a Maryland community cat caregiver contacted
  Alley Cat Allies Cat Help Desk and told us a
  Code Enforcement Officer ordered her to stop
  feeding the cats and issued her a citation for a
  1000 fine, we stepped in to provide legal
  counsel.

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• The reality quickly became clear Though the
  caregiver was told that feeding community cats
  violated an ordinance, the opposite was true. Her
  activities were in fact lawful.
• Thankfully, the city ultimately chose to drop the
  case.
• We inspired the next generation of cat advocates
• Alley Cat Allies connected with students at
  William Paterson University of New Jersey (WPU)
  and issued a grant to provide them with resources
  for community cats in collaboration with Only
  Kindness Rescue. The grant covered cat food and
  other needed supplies and care, all to help the
  students continue their incredible work for local
  community cats.
• We called for the prosecution of an alleged
  kitten killer
• On behalf of cats across the country and our more
  than 60,000 supporters in Texas, Alley Cat Allies
  spoke and wrote in support of the prosecution of
  Gabriel Caswell for the unlawful killing of cats
  and kittens while he was employed at an animal
  shelter. We continue to monitor the case and
  other cruelty cases across the country as we work
  to set a strong standard for investigation and
  prosecution of animal cruelty.

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• We provided critical care to help declawed cats
• Cats who are declawed can suffer from lifelong
  pain and even life-threatening complications. We
  cant restore a declawed pawthe damage cannot be
  undone. But surgery and the right pain management
  can alleviate cats suffering and help them truly
  live again. An Alley Cat Allies grant provided
  that specialized care for multiple cats
  throughout 2023.
• Cats like Burrito and Sammy, who were abandoned
  and suffering crippling pain due to their declaw,
  are now happy and thriving in their adopted home.

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• Our disaster response was a lifeline for cats and
  kittens in three states
• In the first half of 2023, devastating tornadoes
  struck Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. Alley
  Cat Allies immediately stepped up to provide
  lifesaving rescue and veterinary care supportand
  saved so many cats and neonatal kittens lives
  through swift action.
• Beyond general veterinary care, food, and other
  supplies, we funded complex, critical surgery
  when needed. A senior cat named Thor, for
  example, had his lower jaw severely broken during
  the disaster. We covered the costs of repair
  surgery, and now hes a happy, healthy cat in his
  new forever home!

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• We provided lifesaving veterinary grants to
  communities across the country
• From Maryland to Oklahoma to Arkansas to
  California and beyond, we strengthened access to
  care for cats and kittens. From spay and neuter
  and vaccination to injury treatment and any other
  needed surgery, we provided it all.
• Soufflé, Poppy and Lily, the Orange Crew, Clover
  and Charm, Miso and her kittens, and so many more
  heartwarming stories are the result of this
  critical workand YOUR generosity.

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• We helped hundreds of cats and kittens with
  Feline Frenzy
• In 2023, Alley Cat Allies worked in New York,
  Maryland, and Virginia to host Feline Frenzy
  events that provided TNR and other veterinary
  services.
• When we choose a city or county for our Feline
  Frenzy, we determine the most in-need communities
  and bring together local animal protection
  groups, advocates, veterinarians, caregivers, and
  policymakers to create long-lasting improvements
  for cats.

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• We stopped a deadly ordinance for cats in Ohio
• A dangerous proposed law impacting cats in
  Cedarville, Ohio, was tabled thanks to Alley Cat
  Allies and our supporters, advocates, and local
  residents. If the ordinance had passed, cats
  would have been subjected to cruel, ineffective
  feeding bansamong other absurd measures.
• We defended cat declawing bans

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• In 2023, the Washington D.C. ban on declawing
  officially went into effect! Alley Cat Allies
  wrote in support of the ban and rallied
  supporters to speak out as welland the result
  will save countless cats lives.
• And, thanks to our advocacy and supporters, a
  bill that would threaten efforts to ban declawing
  in Missouri did not move forward. The measure
  would have overturned existing declaw bans in St.
  Louis and St. Louis County and prevented other
  cities and counties from passing their own bans.
• We won a critical legal battle to protect West
  Virginia cats
• A Berkeley County, West Virginia, Circuit Court
  Judge sided with Alley Cat Allies in a lawsuit
  against Berkeley County Sheriffs Department
  after it failed to comply with Alley Cat Allies
  requests for public records under the West
  Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). With
  the ability to access the public records we
  requested, Alley Cat Allies can make decisions on
  how to best protect cats and kittens in Berkeley
  County.

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• We protected cats and kittens during a Dallas
  digital disaster
• When the City of Dallas was the victim of a
  widespread outage incident earlier this year,
  Dallas Animal Services struggled to meet the
  needs of cats and other animals without access to
  even basic records.

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• To prevent cats and kittens from being
  euthanized in the chaos, Alley Cat Allies
  provided emergency grants. Working with Operation
  Kindness and Friends of Dallas Animal Services,
  we facilitated the transfer of cats, dogs, and
  neonatal kittens out of the shelter while also
  funding bottle-feeding, veterinary evaluations,
  treatments, wound care, spay and neuter
  surgeries, and more.
• Help us save more cats in 2024
• Before December 31, your gift will be
  triple-matched to go three times as far for cats
  and kittens in the new year. We have big plans to
  make big changes for cats, and we need you at our
  side. Please consider giving today.

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